Dear Editor

I was gratified to see the story you ran last Saturday about the leatherback turtles hatching on the beach at Dickenson Bay.

I was among the 30 or so people who watched the entire process, standing out there for about 2.5 hours to observe as the little ones emerged from the nest and slowly made their way to the sea with the help of some very knowledgeable guides.

They provided a lot of information and watched carefully to see that things went smoothly

But what struck me the most about the entire evening was how deeply involved the visitors staying at Sandals became in the process. They were cheering the little ones on, watching so they wouldn’t run off course, and calling the guides to tend to the ones that strayed into the barricades put up to protect them.

In fact, as the evening was coming to a close, I overheard several of the women saying things to the effect that this was the best vacation experience they had, and this evening “made” their whole trip worthwhile. For many, it was a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience.

I just wish there were tourism staff members (and even the tourism minister) on hand to hear the very positive remarks, to understand that there are many aspects of life in Antigua & Barbuda that tourists enjoy and value beyond the hotels and shops.

By making investments in our natural resources – and supporting groups such as the Sea Turtle Conservation Project – the country could see great returns in attracting those types of tourists who are looking to interact with nature and follow “eco-adventures.”